Happy New Year! 2014

We had a calm New Years Eve, which is just the way I like it!  Brandon had Zach Park over and these guys played a roaring game of Monopoly.  We party pretty hard, the Jones Family...

We even got individual cans of soda...now that's living!  :)

 



Of course we had to do the chocolate fountain.  It's not New Years Eve without that!

 



I love this picture of Kyle...

 



Even Todd got a piece of the chocolate fountain.  (I did too, but no one took a picture of me)...

 

I had a bunch of these little sparkling apple cider drinks, so we had Brandon, Dallin, and Zach "toast" to Monopoly.  It was pretty funny!

Todd and I watched Man of Steel.  We are party animals!  It was a fun evening of spending time with the family.  Happy New Year! 

 



Christmas 2013

 Merry Christmas everyone!  Can you believe it's Christmas again?  I understand that it's an "annual" thing, but it seems to arrive faster and leave faster every year.  UGH!

 

I actually got a picture of all the stockings before the kids "dug" into them.  Pretty cool, eh?

This is our half-decorated tree...I decided it was good enough.  Kind-of sad-looking, really...

 



 

And here's some random pictures of Christmas morning for your enjoyment...

 

Jacob and Ziggy

 



 

 

Kyle, unwrapping his Minecraft poster!

 



See?  I was right!

 



 

 

Dallin opening his very own box of Balance bars...do you see Brandon in the background totally laughing his head off?  He's saying, "Classic."  But maybe he's just jealous because he didn't get any...  :)

 



 

 

I guess he's not too jealous, because he got some Irish Spring body wash for himself...he looks pretty happy about that...Mr. Batman!

 



 

Kyle got a little tablet...a very inexpensive tablet.  But he didn't care....he was so excited!

 



 

 

Dallin, my puzzle guy!  These are metal puzzles.  Fun stuff!

 



 

 

And Jacob got a magic kit.  I love the look on his face in this picture...

 



 

 

Even Ziggy got in on all the fun! 

 



 

 

Dallin and his Twinkie maker!  We will be expecting some Twinkies soon, Dallin!

 



 

 

The Bat Mobile!  So awesome!

 



Hot Wheels, even...

 



 

Jacob loves Minecraft!

 



 

We always get a few movies from Mom and Dad...

 



 

 

Jacob got a new bike!  I think this is the first new bike he's ever had...he's always just had "hand-me-downs" from his brothers.  He was pretty excited.

 



 

Good morning, Mom and Dad!  (a little frightening)

 



This is one of my favorite pictures.  Kyle gave me "World's Best Mom" and he gave Todd a small garbage can with the word "Dad" on it.  We had to get a picture of that...so funny!  What's the significance of these gifts...do you think?  Ha!  :)

 



 

But then Jacob came through and gave Todd a "World's Greatest Dad" cap.  I got a heart necklace, which I loved, of course!

 

 

Kyle's new soccer ball....he'll get a lot of use out of that.

 

 

 

Even Ziggy got some toys.   He destroyed them the first day, of course.  So annoying!

 



 

You can't go wrong with Diary of a Wimpy Kid!

 



And the day wouldn't be complete without talking to Elder Jones!  So awesome!

 

It was a great Christmas!  We are very thankful for all the "things" that we have, but mostly, we're thankful for our family!  And that we get to celebrate the birth of our Savior! 

 

 Merry Christmas everyone!

 

 



The best Christmas present ever!

 Merry Christmas Elder Jones!!!

 

We got to talk to Eric on Christmas day.  It was the BEST. PRESENT. EVER.  Of course I couldn't get him to smile "normally..." not even his famous "thumbs up" goofy smile.  Funny kid!  But it was great to see him all the same.

 

 

 

 

He had a little cold, so he wasn't feeling wonderful, but he still sounded amazing to me!  Maybe that's why he wouldn't smile because he was drugged up on cold medicine.  Ha!

He had dinner at the Bishop's house on Christmas.  He said it was great!  We talked for about an hour...it was awesome!  Of course, it wasn't until the end of the conversation that he said, "well, I'm only supposed to be on the phone for 30 to 40 minutes...how long has it been?"  Oops!  Talk to you later Elder Jones!  :)

 



 

This is as close as I got to getting him to smile.  Actually this one is pretty good.  I take it all back!  :)  We are so proud of you son and we love you!!

Merry Christmas to the Jones Family!

Jones Family Christmas Party 2013

 

We had our Jones Family Christmas party on December 21st.  It was at Aaron and Kristin's home in Hooper.  They always throw a great party!

 

Malissa, Ryan, and Matthew

 

 

There's Matthew and Dallin...and the back of Zach's head...

 



 

 

Aaron and Mike...and Aubrey in the background

 

Rob, Malissa (and Alice), Aaron, Jasmine, and Grandpa Jones (on the right)

 



 

 

Yes, we posed for this picture....Melissa and Todd

 



 

Sweet Aubrey

 



Anissa, Emma, Rob and Mike

 

 

We ate dinner, had a cute little talent program, and then exchanged gifts. We missed Grandma Jones, of course, but felt like she was there in spirit.  

 

Still, it was a lot of fun and great company!  Sadly, my camera battery died after this last picture...bummer.

 

We had a great time!  Merry Christmas Jones family!

 

 



12 days of Christmas for Elder Jones

I decided to send Elder Jones a "12 Days of Christmas" package.  It was really fun wrapping all the gifts.  They were just little presents, but they turned out pretty cute (if you ask me)...  :)

 

My friend, Jana, taught me how to make these very cool Missionary Envelopes.  I made 12 of them...one for each day.

 



 

Inside each envelope, I placed a little card with a scripture printed on it.  Each envelope had a number on it, just like with the presents....

 

You get the idea, right?  Each day he gets to open a present (1st day, 2nd day, 3rd day, and so on) and reads the scripture with the corresponding number from the missionary envelope.

 



Here is a list of what I sent him...(present and scripture for each day).

 

12 days of Christmas for missionaries 

1.   2 Corinthians 11:1 "Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly; and indeed bear with me."  (chocolate covered cinnamon bears)

 2.  3rd Nephi 12:6  "And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost."  (capri sun)

 3.  Luke 9:24  "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."  (life savers)

 4.  Proverbs 16:13  "Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right."  (blistex)

5.  Matthew 4:19  "And he saith unto them, follow me, and I will make you fishers of men."  (sweedish fish)

 6.  D&C 121:9  "Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands."  (hand warmers)

 7.  D&C 105:35  "There has been a day of calling, but the time has come for a day of choosing; and let those be chosen that are worthy."  (extra gum)

 8.  Psalms 126:5  "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy."  (tissues)

 9.  Alma 32:42   "And because of your diligence and your faith and your patience with the word in nourishing it, that it may take root in you, behold, by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet."  (M & M's)

 10. Psalms 18:8  "There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it."  (red hots)

 11. D&C 50:24  "That which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day."  (flashlight)

 12. 1 Thessalonians 5:24  "Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss."  (kisses)

 

 

Merry Christmas to my sweet missionary, Elder Jones!  We love you son!  :)